FFF169 - PODRANEA

Podranea ricasoliana, the pink trumpet vine, has been out of fashion in Australian gardens for a long time, for no particular reason seeing it is a very attractive plant. As well as pink trumpet vine, this showy plant is also commonly known as Port St. John creeper, after its place of origin in South Africa. Its genus name Podranea is an anagram of Pandorea, the genus name for a group of closely related Australian native vines all in the Bignoniaceae family.

It is a vigorous, evergreen scrambler with glossy compound leaves. The beautiful trumpet shaped flowers are pale pink with carmine stripes and yellowish shading in the throat. Flowering time is summer and autumn. The fruit is a bean-like capsule containing winged seeds. Pink trumpet vine will grow best in the warmer parts of Australia, and is well worth a try in inland areas. It has low water needs once established. It looks good grown over fences or walls pruned into a shrub or weeping standard.

Pink trumpet vine grows best in a sunny position, but will tolerate light shade. It needs a well drained soil and a strong support if it is to be grown as a climber. Water well until the plant becomes established. Prune to shape and control growth immediately after flowering. It is high maintenance if pruned as a shrub or standard. The reward is a lovely plant with hardy attractive flowers, very free flowering, virtually pest and disease free and drought resistant.

Join me for Floral Friday Fotos by linking your flower photos below, and please leave a comment once you have done so!
If you link your post here, please show a link back to this site on your blog post...

FFF169

1.	ERYTHRINA	12.	Aletta - Nowathome	23.	WoollyMuses	34.	willothewizp
2.	NAKED LADY LILIES	13.	Gunilla	24.	Moni	35.	CathyC, Australia
3.	PINEAPPLE LILY	14.	girl friday	25.	anotherday2paradise	36.	Sara Chapman #2
4.	CHICORY FLOWERS	15.	Jim, Sydney, Australia	26.	Vilt og vakkert	37.	Trini Garden
5.	Tom The Backroads Traveller	16.	islandrambles	27.	Writing Between the Lines	38.	Zauberpalme
6.	Maboe	17.	A Student Gardener	28.	Sara Chapman, Seattle USA	39.	Frosty February
7.	Ingmarie We/Refugium	18.	Liz Needle	29.	PaintHugeCanvasForHeadboard	40.	Jutta K. Deutschland
8.	Ulla Laiho	19.	Frauke * Germany	30.	Vivishagerom - fotoblogg	41.	Maboe
9.	BirgittaB	20.	Enerhagen	31.	Joe Owens
10.	Mascha	21.	Eclectic Hamilton	32.	Dawn
11.	Heidrun	22.	WHITE ROSE	33.	Bernie in Australia

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)